


Down On Your Knees Before the King

by SummerFlingsAndThings (QueenBoudicatheGreat)



Series: A King's Gambit [5]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Apathetic George, Emotional Manipulation, I mean kinda?? He respawns but he does get buried alive first, M/M, Temporary Character Death, in this house we say fuck you to george avoiding lore, prison break - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 02:00:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29306139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenBoudicatheGreat/pseuds/SummerFlingsAndThings
Summary: "You weren't supposed to be here," George said casually like he was commenting on the weather. He was dressed in Dream's clothes, sleeves and pants rolled up to keep from tripping, and when he turned around, Sapnap saw one of the little bright blue flowers Dream always got him tucked behind his ear."I could say the same for you."George gave him a wry smile, hands shoved in his pockets. "Looks like I'm gonna owe Techno that favor after all."☆●☆●☆●☆●☆George finally meets the rest of the SMP, this time laid bare, true colors on display.
Relationships: Clay | Dream & Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), GeorgeNotFound & Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF)
Series: A King's Gambit [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2128842
Comments: 81
Kudos: 319





	Down On Your Knees Before the King

**Author's Note:**

> AAAAAAYYYYYYYYYOOOOOOOO!!!! WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME!!!!! I HOPE YOU'RE ALL READY FOR THIS!! LET'S GOOOOOOOOO!!!
> 
> More seriously, you'll notice that this fic is marked as incomplete because, well, it is. (The next bit will be up sometime after the 14th!) I promised you all a prison break and the resulting fallout of George finally showing his cards to the entirety bn of the SMP, and I intend to follow through on that. However. I got through with JUST the prison break, realized that it was already over 3K, and that I wanted the next bit to be from someone else's POV (cookies to anyone who can guess who) so it had to be split up. Could I have written it them as separate fics? Yes, of course, but I wanted the series to have five parts and also to use this bomb ass title. So chapters it was. Anyway! I hope you guys like this final installment (for now!) of A King's Gambit. It's been a fucking wild two weeks (has it really only been that long???) and I'm sososo grateful for every last person who read and commented.
> 
> As always, my Tumblr is open and accepting requests (you can also just come yell at me if you want) and the Big Bang is going on! Sign ups open the 10th! In addition to modding, I'll be participating as an author! Maybe I'll get to work with some of you as a beta/artist! How exciting!
> 
> Tumblr: summerflingsandthings.tumblr.com  
> Big Bang: dsmp-bigbang.tumblr.com

Sapnap wasn't supposed to be the one visiting Dream today. He wasn't scheduled for another three days, but Ranboo had agreed to switch with him, and he'd taken him up on it more eagerly than he cared to admit. Tommy still wasn't exactly thrilled about Dream having visitors, but when nothing nefarious came of George's visit, he figured there wasn't much harm in it. That or he finally realized that he'd never get what he wanted from tormenting Dream on his own. Sapnap felt a bitter frown form on his face at the thought. He could have told Tommy that, tried to tell him even, but it didn't do him any good. Much as Tommy wanted to deny it, he and Dream were more alike than they were different. Determined and headstrong and confident to the point of arrogance. It was a dance Sapnap knew well, and one he almost tired of performing. 

But he was going to do it one more time for Dream. Much like George had, he needed to see Dream again. But not for the same reason. George had needed to see Dream without all his masks and lies so he could finally see the real monster hidden beneath. Which, apparently he had, seeing as nobody had actually clapped eyes on him in the week following his visit. Sapnap wasn't quite sure how to feel about that, but Tommy seemed to have plenty of suspicions to cast around. No one really believed him of course, it was George after all, but every muttered accusation grated on Sapnap's already frayed nerves. Sapnap was already planning to hunt George down again, but he needed to see Dream before he could. Needed to see him stripped of all the power and influence he'd gathered up and reduced down to nothing. Sapnap wanted to see him suffer. He knew it wasn't exactly healthy and there was no real use in it, but some part of him wanted to see Dream hurting as much as he had hurt everyone. Had hurt George. Had hurt Sapnap. It was mean and petty and pointless, but it's what he deserved. 

Sam was surprisingly talkative as he led Sapnap through security measure after security measure. Or rather, Sapnap thought it was surprising. Sam was always decently chatty and expressive, so it shouldn't have been unexpected, but within the walls of the prison Sapnap felt like everything should have the same somber heaviness that he carried in his heart. 

A hand clapped down on his shoulder and he jerked his head up. Sam was giving him a soft, concerned look. "Hey, man, you all right?"

Sapnap shook his head like he was trying to get water out of his ears and gave Sam a roguish grin. "Course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

"You don't have to do this, you know," Sam said, clearly unconvinced. "I mean, honestly I don't think I'm supposed to be letting you in, seeing as he's already had a visitor today. But, I mean, it's _you_. I feel like you 'n' George should have, like, special permissions when it comes to that guy."

"Wait, what?" Sapnap asked, furrowing his brow. "What do you mean he's already had a visitor?"

Sam cocked his head to the side. "Uh, Techno came through earlier. Said he was taking Ranboo's visit because he couldn't make it."

"No, _I_ took Ranboo's visit," Sapnap said slowly. "He and I agreed to swap days yesterday."

"Maybe he forgot?" Sam suggested, but there was a sudden tension in the air that showed he didn't quite believe what he was saying, either.

Sapnap could feel his heart speeding up. "We need to see Dream. _Now_."

"I can't exactly hurry this along any more than I am," Sam said, muttering curses under his breath. "This place was designed to be impenetrable. It's supposed to be locked up tighter than Fort Knox. It takes a minute to get in."

"How long ago was Techno here, then?" Sapnap demanded. 

"I don't know, man, like an hour?"

"And nothing's happened?"

"Not a fucking peep," Sam said, shaking his head. "He just came and went like anyone else."

Sapnap's brow furrowed. "That's a relief," he said, but his skin still crawled in anticipation, and his fingers twitched for the handle of the sword he left in his locker. 

"I dunno man," Sam frowned. "I don't like it."

"Yeah, me neither." Sapnap shook his head. "Come on. I wanna know what Techno and Dream talked about. I don't trust either of them."

Sam grunted his agreement, and swiped his key card, leading them into the next corridor. His face was once again guarded and sharp, looking for any signs that something was amiss. "C'mon. There's not much farther now."

Sapnap followed, right on his heels. "Why did you even let Techno in? That bastard owes Dream a favor."

Sam's eyes flashed dangerously, and Sapnap was reminded why he'd been selected as prison warden. "Because he knew all of the procedures," he said tersely. "I don't make the decisions on who does and doesn't get access, I just do what Tommy says." He gave Sapnap a suspicious scowl. "Doesn't seem very smart to let the prisoner's best friend in to see him, either and here you are."

"Right. Sorry."

Sam grunted again, and shoved a bottle to Sapnap's chest. "Fire resistance," he said. "Drink it and follow me." 

Sapnap did as he was told and followed Sam into the wall of lava. As much as Sapnap liked fire and fire magic, he never much cared for lava. It was dense and heavy and pressed in on every side and made it hard to breathe. Lava was warm and malleable, but it very clearly remembered that it was meant to be stone and it wouldn't let you forget, either. Once he made it to the other side, he shuddered at the change in temperature and sucked in lungfuls of cold air.

Sam, however, was clearly unaffected as he swiped his keycard one last time. "As soon as this lava wall recedes, there will be a moving bridge for you to get on," he explained. "Once the bridge starts, keep moving. If you don't, you'll fall into the lava below and that fire resistance only lasts so long."

"Right." Sapnap took a deep breath and stepped onto the platform.

"Hey, Sap?" Sapnap glanced over his shoulder to see Sam glowering darkly across the pool of lava where they could just see Dream standing. "Figure out what that bastard has planned. I don't want him getting out."

Sapnap nodded and the bridge started moving. It wasn't very far to where Dream was standing, twiddling his thumbs and all but bouncing on the balls of his feet in eagerness, but each step made Sapnap sick to his stomach. He suddenly didn't want to be here. In fact, he wanted to be anywhere else. He wanted to shout to call Sam back and get him the hell out of this nightmare. He wanted to-

"Hey, Pandas."

Sapnap whirled around to see Dream giving him what could be described as a comforting smile. A smile you'd give an animal you were trying not to spook or to a child you were coaxing out from under the covers after a nightmare. It was a smile Sapnap knew well from their early days in the SMP when it was just him and Dream and George against the big open world and one of them came one hit too close to death. It was a smile that had no place on Dream's face anymore. "Fuck off," he growled, his voice a little hoarser than it was when he'd been talking to Sam.

Dream stuck his hands up in surrender and his smile turned wry, which was an improvement. "So, what are you doing here, Sapnap?" he asked, carelessly turning his back on Sapnap and walking to the other end of the cell. Sapnap's fingers once again twitched for the handle of his sword.

"I wanted to see you again."

"Honesty. Now, that's something I admire." Dream turned around with a flourish like he was some kind of showman. "But that's not quite what that was, now was it?" He placed forward and circled around Sapnap like some kind of wild cat. Sapnap clenched his fists. "You _want_ something, and it's something you can only get from me."

"That's not true," Sapnap snapped. "I just came to see you."

"Why? Why did you want to see me?" Dream's smile turned mean and mocking. "Did you come to see if I was suffering? Come to see the big bad Dream all stripped down to nothing? Come to see if I was _sorry_ for what I did?" He flung out his arms like he was putting himself on display. "Did you get what you were after?"

Honestly, no. Sapnap didn't get what he was after. Even with all this, Dream didn't look phased. His hair was limp and grimy and his clothes looked worse for wear, but Dream still looked as pleased with himself as he ever did. Looked like he was exactly where he wanted to be. Looked _excited_ about it all. 

"Fuck you," Sapnap choked out, refusing to look at Dream. "For everything."

Dream made a little wounded sound and this time when he approached it was a lot meeker. "I am sorry, Sapnap," he said gently. "I'm not-" he made a frustrated little noise and Sapnap looked up to see Dream frowning at his hands as he struggled for words. "I'm not sorry for what I did, exactly, but I am sorry for you. I'm sorry I did things that hurt you, Sap." He locked eyes with Sapnap and for the first time in a long time Sapnap could see his friend in there. "No matter what happens, you're my best friend, man. I never want to hurt you."

Every fiber of Sapnap's soul ached to believe him. Ached for the opportunity to grab Dream up in a tight hug and take him away. Take him and George somewhere far away where they wouldn't have to deal with any of this shit ever again. No more discs or wars or betrayals or whatever the fuck was going on with Bad. Just the three of them, laughing and smiling and relying on nothing but each other and _living_. But he couldn't do that. Dream had made sure of that. "What did you and Techno talk about?" 

Dream's eyes flashed at the dismissal, but he just shrugged casually. "Not much, really. He just came to see if he would be able to cash in on that favor and bust me out." He gave a humorless snort and leaned against the wall, arms folded across his chest. "Said he couldn't figure it out. This place is tight as a drum. I should know, I designed it." He rolled his eyes and when he spoke again his tone was bitter. "Not that he probably put too much effort into it. Apparently, if I rot away in here, he doesn't have to deal with that favor. Probably only came to clear his conscience and say he tried."

Sapnap wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. The idea that Techno had seen the inside of the prison with the intent to get Dream out, even a halfhearted intent, was concerning. But then again, Techno was self-serving, and he had a point about the favor being useless if Dream was in jail. Still, Techno valued his word and he could figure out a way out of just about anything if he put his mind to it. Sapnap would have to talk to Tommy about getting someone to keep an eye on Techno. He doubted that conversation would go well. 

"Well, did he bring you anything?" Sapnap demanded. 

Dream's gaze flickered to an empty corner of the cell, and Sapnap's followed it. But no matter how hard he looked, there was nothing there and Dream scoffed. "As if he would. Even if he wanted to, it's not like he could. You went through the process." He gave Sapnap a grin, eyebrows raised. "Unless _you_ brought me something and know it's possible." Sapnap wasn't amused, which Dream obviously realized because he put his hands up in surrender. "All right. Fine. I know a boundary when I see one."

Sapnap let out a snort so harsh it actually hurt the back of his throat. "Yeah, sure. You. _Boundaries_." Before Dream could say anything else, Sapnap was pounding on the nearby wall. "Sam! Get me the hell out of here!" There was the click of redstone activating and the Netherite bars went back up, separating them for the last time. He took a deep breath, and turned towards the lava, unable to face what he was about to say. "Goodbye, Dream. I'm sorry it had to end like this."

Dream was silent for a moment, but just before the lava disappeared, he made a noise that got Sapnap's attention. He was smiling again, but this time it looked sad and Sapnap's heart thudded heavily in his chest. "Sapnap, just know that whatever happens next, you're still my best friend. And I'm sorry."

Sapnap's eyes were wide as Sam pulled up on the moving bridge, and he almost wanted to send him away again, just to grab Dream by the shoulders and demand an explanation for what he had said. Instead, he just shook his head and stepped forward. "Let's go," he muttered, unwilling to examine why his voice was suddenly thick. Thankfully, Sam didn't ask, and together they moved forward. 

"Was it worth it?" Sam asked once they were back on solid ground, his tone gentle in a way he usually only ever used around Tommy. 

"Bet you asked that to George, too, huh?" Sapnap asked with a humorless laugh.

But instead of chuckling a sad agreement Sam frowned, a crease in his eyebrows. "No, I didn't. George came out of there torn to shreds, but somehow better than he was before. I don't know how to tell you this, but you kind of look like a stiff breeze would shatter you."

"That's weird. Think that has anything to do with the literal poison you made me drink?"

Sam grunted out a frustrated little sound and stopped in his tracks, grabbing Sapnap's shoulder and spinning him around. His eyes flickered back and forth taking in every detail of his face with deep concern. "I'm serious, man. Are you okay?"

Sapnap wanted to make another joke. Some irreverent quip with a playful grin that would distract everyone, including himself, for just a moment. It was there, perched on his tongue, ready to take flight, but under Sam's stare, it died. "I don't think so," he said softly. Then he shook his head one more time, and stiffened his jaw, determination flaring to life in his chest in a way it hadn't in what felt like centuries. "But I will. I can promise you that much."

Sam's eyes brightened and squinted a bit in a smile. Sapnap was worried for a moment that he might try to make some grand speech about how he was proud or whatever, but instead all he offered was a gruff "Hell yeah, man." And that was perfect. Everything was perfect. Until it wasn't. 

They were almost out the door when the alarm sounded.

"What the hell is that?" Sapnap shouted, clapping his hands over his ears. 

"It's exactly what you think it is," Sam said, his voice dropped to dangerous tones. "Come on. I don't know how that fucker got out of that box, but he's not getting any farther than that."

"And what do you want me to do?" Sapnap demanded, hot on his heels nonetheless. "You want me to just punch him to death? Don't think that's gonna work! 

Sam paused for a moment, then pulled up his inventory. "I don't have much I can spare," he said seriously. "I usually only carry the bare essentials of what I need."

"What about harming potions?" Sapnap asked. Sam cast him a suspicious look, and Sapnap swallowed the bile that threatened to rise up the back of his throat. "Look, I swear I'm-"

Sam cut him off with a hand in the air. "No. I believe you. You wouldn't-" He let out a deep but sharp breath. "I'll leave you some right here. Don't go for them until I'm out of range, or I'll kill you."

"Right."

"And here's this." Sam tossed Sapnap an axe, shimmering and glowing purple with enchantments. "I'd stick with the potions, if I were you, though. Mining fatigue is a bitch, and you don't really have the health for PvP at the moment."

Sapnap nodded, and flipped the axe over his back into his inventory. "Right."

"I'll go this way, you go that way."

"Got it."

"Oh, and Sapnap?" Sapnap looked up from his inventory at Sam who was facing the opposite way. "I hope we catch this bastard before he gets out. For your sake. Otherwise, you'd better be a damn convincing lawyer."

Sapnap glowered. "Well, he'd better hope you find him instead of me. I'll kill him if I see him." Then he grabbed the potions and ran forward without waiting for a reply.

He ran down the hallways, taking random turns, ears pricked for any sign of Dream. not that he could hear much of anything over the damn alarm. And that's when he saw it. The flash of green fabric that he knew so well. Sapnap pulled the axe from his inventory and followed. More than anything, it felt like chasing a ghost through the long, dark, twisting hallways. Dream was always a step ahead of him, turning corner after corner, the edge of his cape fluttering just out of reach, until Sapnap was all but lost.

But even Dream made mistakes sometimes. Sapnap grinned victoriously, chest heaving when he finally managed to pin Dream down a dead end. There was a pit of lava in front of him, and Sapnap behind. He was just standing there, looking down into the glow of the lava like he knew this was the end of the line. Like he knew there was no way he was getting out today, and Sapnap would make sure of that.

"All right listen here, you-" Sapnap cut himself off with a sharp gasp because the hood of the tattered green cloak was suddenly lowered, and the hair beneath wasn't blonde.

It was brown.

"You weren't supposed to be here," George said casually like he was commenting on the weather. He was dressed in Dream's clothes, sleeves and pants rolled up to keep from tripping, and when he turned around, Sapnap saw one of the little bright blue flowers Dream always got him tucked behind his ear. 

"I could say the same for you."

George gave him a wry smile, hands shoved in his pockets. "Looks like I'm gonna owe Techno that favor after all."

"George, what the fuck," Sapnap spat, grip tightening on his axe. "What are you doing?"

"You know exactly what I'm doing," George said flatly. "Don't ask questions you don't want the answer to."

"Why then?" Sapnap demanded. "George, you saw what he did! He _deserves_ to be in here."

"I don't want him in here, though."

"You think I do?" Sapnap asked, ignoring the way his voice cracked. Based on the way George's eyebrows pinched together, he didn't miss it. "I miss Dream too, George. He's my best friend. But what he did- It's unforgivable."

"Then don't forgive him," George said. He took a step forward, and offered his hand palm up. The flickering light from the torches and lava cast dark shadows across George, hiding his face, but his hand practically glowed in the darkness, drawing him in with temptation that couldn't even be named. Sapnap had to tighten his grip until his knuckles ached to rip his gaze away from it. "Don't forgive him, just… Let it go."

"I can't do that," Sapnap said. "And you shouldn't either. Man, I don't know what he said to you, but-"

"Sap, _please_." Sapnap looked up to lock eyes with George. His voice shook almost imperceptibly, and there was something almost like desperation but not quite on his face. "Just come with us. Please. It'll be like none of this ever happened. No wars or betrayals or anything. Just the three of us. Just like it used to be." 

Sapnap couldn't speak. He was rooted to the ground, frozen in time, staring at that offered hand again. The hand that somehow promised him everything he ever wanted. But there was a price he wouldn't pay. Slowly, he lifted his gaze to meet George's and shook his head. 

George winced like Sapnap had given him the answer he was expecting but dreading. Then, his face froze over, cold as hard as ice, but remorse still shone in his eyes. "Then I'm sorry. I really am." He clenched his offered hand into a fist and brought it down to his side in a swift jerk.

There was a loud crack in the ceiling above Sapnap, and George took a step backwards into the pool of lava. Sapnap shouted and took a step forward with his hand extended like he was going to catch George before he fell, but dark bricks crashed down around his ears. For a moment Sapnap was overcome with a soul deep terror as he was buried alive. He squeezed his eyes shut and finally allowed the tears building up to spill over. 

And when he blinked his eyes open again, he was on his back in the prison bed.


End file.
